A Girl Used
by Emilyblood
Summary: Ka/In Kagome has never had much luck with love. Inuyasha left her after their first time together and to Kouga she’s little more than a booty call. When Inuyasha comes back looking for her is he too late as Kouga wants to claim her as his own permanently
1. Empty

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions. The End.**

**A/N: I know, I know. I said no more new stories, but I've had pieces of this one buzzing in my mind for a while and a couple of weeks ago, it fermented and started pouring out my ears. Literally. I really wanted to squeeze it into a one-shot, but I only have the attention span to write about 10-ish pages at a time. This story should only be 2-3 chapters long—5 if it really picks up readers and I draw it out. From now on out, I'll also only update it when I've done editing and updates bits on my other stories.**

**I was going for funny in this story, but it came off more as silly. If anything is too stupid, please let me know.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**A Girl Used**

**Chapter 1: Empty**

"Gods, Kagome, you're such a good fuck."

With that Kouga was getting out of bed, walking over to his pile of clothes and began to dress.

Kagome sat up, startled, "Where are you going?" Knowing Kouga was never one to cuddle Kagome still surprised that he was already preparing to leave. Didn't he at least want to get some food? Anything to drink? Make her feel like he wasn't just using her for sex?

Kouga had to admit she made a pretty picture like that, clearly naked under the sheet that was draped over her upper body so that it barely covered her breasts. Shrugging he answered her, "I'm going to see Ayame."

"Ayame?" Kagome choked, "I thought you two broke up."

_Oh shit, said too much. _ "And we got back together Wednesday—no wait, it was Thursday." Kouga had his jeans on and he buttoned the top button. "What does it matter?"

Kagome visibly gapped. "Thursday? That was yesterday! Then what was th-this about?" She sat up all the way and motioned to the bed where he had been only a moment ago.

Rolling his eyes, Kouga chuckled. "Ayame's taken me back, but we're not _that _back together. She says no sex until she knows I'm serious this time," he tried to explain logically.

"So I'm a booty call!" Kagome hissed, keeping the sheet wrapped around her to give her some sense of modesty—however false it might be.

Considering her question, Kouga didn't know what to say. "I guess so, but I really didn't think about it that much." He pulled on his shirt, reaching back to flick out his pony tail so it once again fell down his back. He glanced at himself in the mirror before swaggering over to pick up Kagome's hair brush to run it through his long locks.

Kagome was debating whether or not she wanted to cry or scream at him. "Obviously not." No one touched her hair brush!

But Kouga was already walking out of her room. "Bye Kags! Let's do this again some time! _Soon_!" He called out before she heard him open and closing the door to her apartment.

Grabbing up a pillow, Kagome screamed into its soft down.

_How could I have been so stupid? Again!_

XXXXXXXXXXX

"How could I have been so stupid Sango?" Kagome moaned once more.

The two women sat in a nearby bar. Well, Sango sat, primly perched on her bar stool while Kagome slouched, her arms crossed and set on the bar itself, her chin resting on her arms. She had pushed her stool out so her body made a ramp down off the counter. At her eye level, she could just make out the three plus-sized shot glasses that had held the tequila she had downed in rapid secession.

She still had a lime in her mouth, sucking on it for comfort.

Sango shrugged, "You have to stop taking Kouga at face value. Sex to him and sex to you are two very different things. You want some semblance of a relationship. Kouga is using you as his own person fuck toy."

Kagome twisted her body so she could glare blurrily at her friend. "No shit."

"You're the one who asked."

"I was hoping for more than the obvious," Kagome pouted.

Sango drummed her nails on the counter top for a moment, choosing her next words carefully: "I think you're not over you-know-who." She really wished she could go without mentioning Inuyasha, but Kagome was asking for it.

Kagome's face scrunched, looking broken for an instant before she covered up the slip with anger, "Why do you always have to bring him up?"

"Because—as much as I hate to admit it—I don't think you're over him. I mean, the guy took your virginity—"

"Sango! Public!" Kagome shushed her friend. "Besides," she lowered her voice, "I gots his too!" and a wicked grin twitched its way across the younger woman's face.

Sango rolled her eyes. "That aside, I think it took a lot out of you when he left. Like a week later after you guys did it."

"You're not helping, you know? Ok, yeah, I miss Inuyasha. I don't even know where he is so there's nothing I can do about it." Kagome spat bitterly. "What's your point?"

Sango couldn't believe she was saying what she was saying. She had never been a big fan of Inuyasha. He was a few years younger than her, and always seemed painfully insecure and attention starved. Never had she believed him good enough to be Kagome's boyfriend, and she had to admit that she had discouraged Miroku from hanging out with him.

Looking back, she could say she had been insecure herself, wanting her boyfriend and friend to herself. It had been the best thing for _Sango_ to try to keep a new face from Kagome's life when they had been friends for so long and to force Miroku to give up time with someone he liked being around. Sango highly doubted she would ever be able to personally make it up to Inuyasha, so the least she could do for him was not bad mouth him when he wasn't even around. Just not again.

But it was so hard to remember all that when one thought of how the hanyou had used Kagome. It was like Inuyasha had had a self fulfilling prophecy that he didn't even know about.

"My point is that when Inuyasha left, he left a hanyou-sized hole in your life. Kouga, in a few respects, filled it, but he could never take Inuyasha's place. Not to mention the fact he's a grade-A asshole who doesn't even pretend that the wants to commit. I'm not saying you should track down Inuyasha, I'm saying you should stop answering the door when Kouga stops by and try to find a guy who doesn't just want to fuck you because his real girl friend doesn't trust him enough to do the deed."

Kagome avoided Sango's gaze and picked up one of her empty shot glasses. She tried to lick out the remaining liquid, but after so much liquor, her tongue lacked the dexterity. Maybe she should have just stayed home as opposed to making Sango take her drinking. She _had_ swallowed the better part of a bottle of wine by the time her friend arrived at her door. Wine she had meant to drink with Kouga before he ran off to Ayame—the girl he really wanted to be with. _Every guy would rather be somewhere than with me._

Not getting anywhere with her search for tequila in the empty glass, Kagome raised her hand to motion for another shot and the barkeep quickly obliged after a glance at Sango. The older girl was still sipping on her bottled water, more than willing drive her drunk and moping friend home. Kouga came around once every two to three months, fucked Kagome, and left. So once every two to three months, Sango figured she could let the usually straight-laced, goody-goody Kagome wallow in her own sorrows. If it was more often than that, Sango would have put her foot down, but recovering from her hang over the next day always seemed to reorient Kagome. At least until the next time.

It really wasn't just Kouga; it was any time Kagome had sex. Sex reminded her of Inuyasha and the fact that he fucked her and left her, and Kagome couldn't see how much she missed the hanyou. Kouga just happened to be the jerk that kept coming back to hurt her again and again.

As soon as the shot glass with its salt and lime had been placed before Kagome, she plucked it up. Licking the webbed space of skin between her thumb and index finger, she shook out some salt from the counter's shaker on the wet patch, before licking it up and downing the bitter, tart tequila in a painful set of gulps. Immediately after swallowing, she popped the new lime slice in her mouth, sucking hard to fight the burn of the alcohol.

"I still don't see why you do that to yourself," Sango muttered whilst shaking her head, "and I think I've proven my point."

"Yeah, well we've already determined I'm a masochist," Kagome barked back, her words slurring ever so slightly. With a sudden jolt, she froze on her stool, causing Sango to look at her. Before she could blink, Kagome was wobbling to the side so her friend had to move fast to keep her on her stool.

Kagome probably would have fallen to the ground if it hadn't been for the strong pair of hands latching onto her shoulders to hold her in place.

Twisting in the grip that balanced her, Kagome found herself making eye contact with a particular pair of golden eyes stuck in a face framed by the prettiest silver hair she had ever seen.

"Speak of the devil…"

XXXXXXXXXX

Humming loudly as he was, Kouga didn't notice the presence in his apartment until it was too late. One minute he was searching for a light switch, the next he was staring face to face with the last woman in the world he wanted to see.

_Knew I should have showered at Kagome's,_ he gulped as he looked Ayame in the eye. There was no way she wasn't going to noticed that he reeked of sex and another woman.

"H-hey baby," he choked out, trying to play it smooth by strolling into the living room to reach for Ayame's hands.

The little wolf wasn't buying, "You bastard! You were with her!" Ayame howled shoving him so hard Kouga stumbled backward to fall non-too gracefully into his recliner. "I told you he wasn't faithful!"

"Sweetheart, who you talking to?" Kouga asked confused, as that last comment had not been directed at him.

Ayame didn't answer. Instead, out of his broom closet stepped three of the wolf pack elders.

Kouga's mind went blank. _How'd they all fit in there? What are they? Circus clowns? That closet barely fits my broom! Wait—I own a broom?_

Then, being the ever-so-perceptive wolf that he was, Kouga realized that three of the pack elders were standing in his living room with the woman he was supposed to marry, and no one looked very happy as they all glared down at him.

"So it was true," the shortest one said, kicking Kouga's foot to punctuate his statement. The wolf demon's blue eyes glared down at the younger youkai. "You have been with another wench. How can you disgrace your pack and betrothed in such a way? What do you have to say for yourself cub?"

Kouga was very much at a loss for words. How _could Ayame have figured it out so fast?_ They just got back together two—no—the day before. And she already didn't trust him? What a bitch. Kagome had always taken longer to figure out he was cheating.

Kouga didn't have long to ponder Ayame's lack of faith in him. He found himself suddenly being hauled to his feet only to be pushed to back down to his knees by the two elders who stood on the group's wings.

"Kouga Ookami," the elder with a long scare running down the side of his face spoke in a deep voice, "What have you to say for yourself?"

Kouga tried to think fast, but his brain was slippery from sex and shock. _This isn't supposed to be happening. This isn't supposed to be happening. This isn't supposed to be happening. Must think of something to say!_

Then a beautiful half-truth excuse hit him, "Ayame said she wouldn't bear my cubs! What kind of wife would she be? I had to find a woman who'd carry on our line!"

Ayame fumed, smoke and flames leaping out of her ears. Even the elders were the tiniest bit scared and took a long step away from her. "I said that if you cheated on me after we were mated then no babies!"

"That is very serious, daughter," the final elder quietly said his piece. "While we do not agree with infidelity, protecting the continuation of the line must be your first priority."

Silent for a moment, Ayame bowed her head. "I will do what I have to, but I do not feel like I am asking too much of my betrothed. What kind of father would he be if he cannot show interest in his mate?" She looked up and met each of the elder's gaze. The males nodded and slowly moved back in to once again form their crescent around the kneeling Kouga.

Kouga snorted, trying show bravado through his sweat. "We're not even married or mated yet, and she's already holding children over my head!"

"It's the only thing that you'll listen to!" Ayame defended herself. "Having cubs is the only thing you care about besides yourself! And you only want cubs so you can be a prince—without sons you know they'll find someone else to take your place!"

"You'll never understand me!" Kouga pouted, sulkily crossing his arms, "Kagome—the woman I was with tonight—loves me and wants nothing more than to have my cubs!"

Ayame's face fell for a moment, but she promptly recovered. Kouga felt his gut sink at the stony look she gave him; there was something painfully final in her eyes. "You are so full of shit Kouga! You know what? You deserve her—why don't you go have your human wench and choke on her!"

Kouga was silent, he was so busy gapping at Ayame. Did he dare call her bluff? It could never be said Kouga was bright: "What? Destroy the blood line by mating with a human? You do realize that they'll all be hanyou don't you?" He failed to notice his arguments were contradictory.

"That's not my problem Kouga." Ayame said, suddenly looking rather tired, her voice quiet so it lacked its previous passion. She walked back to the couch where she had been sitting and picked up her purse, throwing her jacket over her arm. "You know what? I'm done with you. There are other wolf princes out there who would love to be with me. You've made your bed with a human, you might as well sleep in it." Kouga tried to stop her, but the elders pushed him back down into the recliner so that he was forced to listen to Ayame's retreating steps and the sound of her letting herself out of his apartment and pretty much out of his life.

The short elder sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Your chosen has made her decision, Kouga, and you must abide by it." There went the months they had spent negotiating the terms of Kouga's mating.

"You just wait. She'll be back here begging me!" Kouga snorted, clearly miffed. "You'll save us time if you just let me go after her now." He turned his head to the side like a peevish child.

"I don't think so, Kouga," said the scarred elder with a shake of his head and a pat to Kouga's shoulder. "Ayame has received other offers from males who appreciate her. This was your last chance. She said so herself."

"What?!"

The final, quiet elder answered the wolf prince's out burst with calm: "And then there is the matter of your punishment."

Said wolf prince's eyes became saucers. "Why should I be punished? I haven't done anything wrong!" His voice ended in a whine.

The air in the room grew thicker; the lights deemed.

The three elders exchange glances. They had all been young wolf cubs long ago, and done their share of sowing wild oats. Nevertheless, they were not princes; they did not have the level responsibility to have certifiably beautiful wolf cubs to continue the royal line.

Nodding to one another, the three wolf elders put their heads together in a huddle. Kouga perked up his ears, trying to hear what was being said. Though he had super hearing, he found that the three other youkai were speaking in the old language of the wolf tribes. One that he was supposed to learn, but had not taken the time to do so; at least the sex had been worth it. Oopsies. After a few more minutes of hushed whispers, they broke apart.

Looking up at them, Kouga gulped when he realized that he could no longer tell one elder from another. They had pulled up dark, brown hoods that covered their faces completely, and was even more surprised when all three bodies began to speak in the same deep, poor English-dubbed voice.

"If what we demand of you is really a punishment, son, is debatable." The form to his right spoke.

The voice moved to the center figure: "As Ayame is already gone, we can no longer know both sides of the story, but regardless you have chosen another woman over her."

" Your punishment , for lack of a better word, is that you must bring this human woman before us, and then the two of you will be married. You must honor your binding to her. If you cannot bring the girl or keep her with you or leave her, Kouga, you will be dethroned," Lefty finished for the group.

Kouga nodded shakily, not really having much other option but to agree. And being extremely freaked out by the spectacle before him. Still, something was plaguing his mind with this decree: "Wh-what about children? Like I said before, they'll be hanyou."

The elders were silent for a moment, then each head seemed to nod from under their hoods. "We have decided on that too. You are not to mate with the human wench. Marry her yes, cub her if you must (even if we will not recognize any of her progeny) but do not bind your souls together in the youkai way. When her human life ends, you will be free to breed with a wolf princess of our choosing. By living your life with this human, we hope that you will learn the importance of staying with your betrothed."

Slowly, the three shuffled together and in the blink of the eye, they were one form, towering over Kouga. Stiffly, the uber elder leaned over Kouga, its dark hood peering into the youkai prince's face. He scrambled to push himself as far as he could into the plush of his chair, but there was no way to get away from beast closing into him.

"You will meet us tomorrow at the gathering hall. Bring the human wench with you."

Giving a shaking nod as his response again, Kouga was suddenly gasping for breath when the creature looming over him lashed its hand out and coiled its cool, clammy fingers around his throat.

"Do not mess this up, son."

With a final squeeze to his this throat, the elder being was up and moving away. Not bothering to look back, it strolled over to the broom closet and threw the door open. Stepping into the portal, its hand reached out to grab the door knob and shot the opening.

And with that, one of the weirdest experiences in Kouga's life was over.

Cautiously, Kouga stood, stretched, and rubbed his throat. Making his way over to the broom closet, he slowly opened the door. Inside the dusty and cramped space stood only his broom, which promptly fell forward, striking Kouga squarely on the forehead.

XXXXXXXXXX

It had taken him a week in town to find her. Seven whole days of running around like a headless dog in heat, searching, searching, searching.

But he had finally tracked down her scent.

Inuyasha wasn't really happy to find his Kagome covered in the stench of another male, but really, what had he expected? He knew he hadn't left her with much hope.

He could tell she wasn't very happy either. This was all his fault.

_I shouldn't have left her like I did._

A deep voice growled resonated inside his head. _**Are you kidding? You were a spoiled kid. You had to go with mommy and daddy. You didn't have much choice. Use her and run, right?**_ Inuyasha's youkai half had never been very happy about him leaving Kagome: that side never missed an opportunity to rub it in to its human counterpart. Ah the joys of a non-diagnosable multiple personality disorder based on human/demon ancestry!

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Inuyasha opened the door to the bar and strolled inside. He was just in time to see Kagome shoot her tequila and begin to crumple toward the floor.

On reflex more than anything, he reached to catch her, saving the girl from plummeting to the ground off the high bar stool. As soon as Inuyasha's finger tips touched Kagome's skin, he felt a shock made up of memory's warmth and the longing he felt for her.

_Kagome._

He hardly had time to recover, and the girl in his arms was turning and looking him in the eye.

"Speak of the devil," she slurred and went limp in his grasp.

Inuyasha cocked his head to one side, looking down at the upside-down Kagome. Her eyes were closed lightly, but in addition to smelling as though she had recently mated with a wolf demon, she also permeated the odor of alcohol.

Inuyasha was unable to ponder her long because before he knew it, Kagome was jostled out of his arms. Looking up he found himself staring into the eyes of a clearly angry woman.

_I know her from somewhere, don't I?_ His mind raced back over the past three years, collecting and discarding images until he found the one that matched the face that was currently glaring at him. _She_ had dated Miroku, a man he had once considered to be his best friend—before he started in with _her—_and now she was trying to take Kagome away from him. Or at least that was how it appeared to Inuyasha.

"What are you doing here?" Sango demanded. She grunted as she hauled Kagome's arm over her shoulders so she could support her as best as possible. Kagome came out of her faint enough to stand uncertainly on her own feet, but her head was still resting to the side.

"Shouldn't that be obvious?" Inuyasha snapped back, sizing Sango up. Returning his eyes to Kagome, he smiled lopsidedly. "She's still a lightweight?"

"If you consider the ginormous four shots she just had and the bottle of wine she polished off before we even got here, a lightweight, then I guess she is," snorted Sango. She hitched Kagome up a little farther to keep her from slipping. "Come on Kags, lets go," she muttered as she tried to move Kagome passed Inuyasha. The last person the drunken girl needed to see right now was the hanyou currently standing in the bar. She might not be over him, but it wasn't going to help matters if Inuyasha pulled a Kouga on her (or was it Kouga pulling a string of Inuyashas?): Kagome might not ever recover. Considering the string of thoughts she had just been having, Sango could not believe Inuyasha was there, now of all times. Maybe it was reflex out of habit, but Sango felt the deep seeded need to protect Kagome from Inuyasha. At least until she could determine how much of a threat the hanyou actually was.

However, _the hanyou_ had every intention of stopping them, but Kagome beat him to it. Waking in blinding start, she stopped Sango's attempts to drag her to the door, "I don't want to go. I am perfectly fine." She pushed away from her friend and stood up straight, only to slouch forward into Inuyasha.

Shoving herself up, she blinked at him, as if seeing the hanyou for the first time. "What is this bar doing in you?" She asked innocently, her brows coming together in confusion.

Under other circumstances, Inuyasha would have laughed at her gaffe, but he had come here with a purpose and he had to get to it before Kagome passed out or was man handled away from him.

"Kagome, you remember me don't you?"

"'Course she does," Sango cut in. "You're the guy who slept with her and left her a week later."

"That's right," Kagome seconded Sango. She tottered from side to side for several heart beats, both on lookers ready to catch her at a moment's notice. Her small human hands latched onto the fabric of Inuyasha's shirt with a death grip that was sure to do damage to the material. "But I really miss you!" Kagome ended her words in a hail of laugher just as she snuggled into Inuyasha's chest. He looked questioningly over the top of Kagome's head at Sango who only shrugged and moved back to her bar stool. Though the brunette appeared to be concentrating on her water bottles, Inuyasha could tell she was keeping an eye on him.

Inuyasha followed suit, puling Kagome up into his lap, leaning her back against him and securing her with his arms. That lasted for all of five seconds as Kagome quickly wiggled out of his grip. Swirling on her heel to face him, Kagome grinned before she leaned into kiss him.

Sango gasped and stared, and Inuyasha wasn't anymore sure what to do. This was the reaction he had been hoping for when he started to track down Kagome, but not what he expected.

_Well, she is really drunk—she tastes like a fucking tequila worm._ He thought as he kissed her back. What? He was a guy after all, and no one had ever confused him with a gentleman.

In all honesty, Inuyasha had been expecting a scene involving him with his balls in a vice via Kagome's wrath while the girl in question stood over him, cackling.

_Which is what you would have deserved._

He hadn't meant for what happened three years ago to happen. It was just, it had taken him so long to finally get Kagome to notice him, and then for her to actually _like_ him, he hadn't wanted to spoil what little time they had together with the knowledge that he would be leaving soon hanging over both their heads. It was hard enough that he knew his parents were packing up and moving across the country. Inuyasha hadn't meant for things to go as far as they had, but he had been a stupid teenager. Not to mention a complete jack ass. He had never had a girlfriend he actually cared about, so he didn't know how to treat Kagome—or any other woman for that matter—with the respect she deserved.

Nonetheless, he liked to think he matured over the past three years and that he could take better care of Kagome this time around. He knew he owed it to her, if she would have him. Inuyasha hadn't meant to be the bastard he turned out to be, but had truly attempted to become a better hanyou. In exchange for him taking college classes, his father was sponsoring Inuyasha's fledgling martial arts school. Things were going so well, Inuyasha could open another branch in Tokyo where Kagome lived. He groomed himself more than he had in high school, brushing his teeth and hair more than once a week. In fact he bathed almost daily and did laundry when his clothes started to stink (as opposed to never). At the university, he joined a few clubs and actually listened to girls when they spoke to him, and as a result he had female friends who he did not call up for casual sex. Overall, he liked to think that he had become a better hanyou. One that wouldn't be a disappointment to Kagome when she finally met him sober.

Which is how he finally managed to push the intoxicated Kagome away from him and tried not to groan as she sloppily licked her lips.

The hanyou had every intention of giving her his number—programming it into her mobile if necessary—and telling her to call him when she was sober, but Kagome had other plans.

"I want to dance!" She declared, pushing him backward toward the dance floor.

Sango watched the two leave and ordered another water. It was going to be a long night, and Kagome was so going to owe her. Big time—she could just tell.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Four Hours Later…_

Sango glared up at her friend as she danced on the bar. She was fairly certain that in Kagome's head the younger woman thought she was all that and a can of coke, shaking her ass like a girl out of the dated _Coyote_ _Ugly_. Sadly, Kagome looked more like a drunken idiot than anything else.

And her hanyou savior was right up there with her, booty shaking, though oddly he was a better dancer than Kagome, not to mention sober.

In spite of Kagome's best efforts to force as much alcohol down his throat as possible.

At one point she had pinched Inuyasha's cheeks until his mouth opened and tried to shove an entire shot glass down this throat. Most of the vodka ended up on his shirt, but Inuyasha had taken it in stride and leaned in to kiss some liquor splatter off Kagome's lips.

Eyeing her collection of water bottles, Sango decided it was time for another trip to the little girl's room. Kagome seemed occupied enough; at least she wouldn't be going anywhere. Inuyasha still appeared to be the attention hungry guy he had been in high school, but Sango was almost willing to let him have a second chance with Kagome. She would need to see him in a different environment to be sure.

However safe she might have thought her friend to be, the instant Sango disappeared into the shadowed area of the bar, Kagome straightened up and leaped off the bar.

Or tried to. Thinking she was falling again, Inuyasha caught her in his arms before she hit the ground. They landed gracefully, Inuyasha holding Kagome bridal style. She looked at him with glazed but smiling eyes. Inuyasha couldn't help but return the grin.

Kagome's heart warmed at the upward hitching of his lips. "I want to get out of here. With you." She knew her mind was a blurry haze of alcohol and adrenaline from being near him again, but she felt so good it was hard to care. She felt so much better than when she had been with Kouga that Kagome was certain she was dreaming, or at least hallucinating Inuyasha and how perfect he acted. With all the alcohol she had poured down her throat that might not be too far from the truth.

Inuyasha hesitated for a moment. "Where would we go?" He gulped.

_Is he…blushing? No. It has to be the lighting. _"Your place," Kagome said smally, a faint blush of her own forming on her face. After all the things she had done with Kouga, she had thought she would never blush again.

But then she had never thought she would ever see Inuyasha again. It was funny, really, how quickly she had taken to him: it was like he had never left her. Much less leaving after sleeping with her without so much as his phone number. Yet, he was here, dancing with her, smelling damned good, and otherwise taking care of her.

Was she sure she wasn't delusional?

"Okay, we can go to my place, Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly in a way that made the girl certain he was nervous. _What does he have to be nervous about?_

Not giving her time to respond, Inuyasha carried Kagome out into the night.

A few minutes later, Sango returned to the bar to find it considerably quieter than when she left. Kagome and Inuyasha were nowhere in sight.

"Shit." Sango cursed. She wondered if her friend had even bothered to pay her bar tab before leaving.


	2. Morning Havoc

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.**

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers and reviewers! Fanfiction wouldn't be fanfiction without you guys.**

Gin Blossom: Yeah, Kagome was annoying to write drunk, and I even saved myself the headache of making her a giddy drinker who like laughs at everything. She's going to be more herself sober, thank god.

ThisIsMeSmiling: I do get sick of all the youkai men being super awesome in bed. Kouga seems fairly sure of himself, so I thought it would be funny to poke some fun at him.

Miftygirl: Um…aren't most drunk girls "slutty, ignorant, and lack self respect"? I guess I did a good job of characterization! But seriously, you are entitled to your opinion, just if you aren't going to read my story, you don't have to check in with me. I realize that more people are _not_ going to read than actually _will_, so save yourself the trouble e of telling a writer the characters she spent months planning and weeks writing suck.

fluffyluver666: Yeah, I didn't want to make Inuyasha too much of a jack ass. At least he's better than Kouga. I kind of hate to write Kouga this way, but he is always so self centered he just fits for the bad guy I need.

Strawberry-Ringo: She did kind of fall out of drunken character didn't she? Lets mark it up as a moment of clarity, lol. I modeled Kagome's drinking behavior after my friend who has a love affair with Jose Quervo Tequila. She does have times where she's more coherent than others after a few shots.

**A lot of you guys commented on the lack of sweet little Kagome. She'll be back to some extent, but I'm trying something new in this story. As a reader and a writer, sometimes I just get tired of the "Kagome-as-perfect-prude" meets "Inuyasha-as Sex-God-Player" motif and need to explore new angles. If you don't like it, once again, this is ****not**** required reading.**

**Chapter 2**

Again, Kagome was not acting like Inuyasha had expected.

The most potent memory he had of the girl was of her being an extremely timid virgin, blushing at the slightest sexual innuendo.

No, he had definitely not expected her to pounce on him the exact second he latched shut the door of his newly-rented apartment. Or rip his shut off, his poor buttons going every which way.

Kagome shoved him up against the kitchen counter and latched onto his neck with her leech lips. Her thin frame pressed against his, grinding his back up against the Formica. Inuyasha found himself, hands on the shoulders of an extremely intoxicated version of the woman he had been hoping to see again for years. Kagome was so preoccupied with giving him a hicci that Inuyasha did not have many options: he was afraid moving away too quickly might result in blood loss. Normally, he would have been helping the girl out of her shirt and into his bed, but 1) his bed wasn't unpacked all the way and 2) he just didn't feel he could take advantage of Kagome when she was like this. His rule of thumb: never sleep with a drunken girl. Especially one you had a history with. Or might have to see socially the next day.

Yes, she appeared extremely willing, but from the girls he had talked with at school, he knew that the power of drunk goggles could be just as bad for woman as they were for guys. This might not even be what she wanted when she was sober. What if she was really close to the wolf youkai she was sleeping with? It seemed unlikely given the state he had found her in, and Inuyasha would be more than happy to help her out of that relationship, but he didn't want Kagome to have anything to regret.

He knew he already had enough shit to work through with Kagome, and Inuyasha didn't want to add to the pile. The only reason why he had agreed to leave with her was he was certain she would pass out in the car. Then he could let her sleep it off, cook her breakfast, and hopefully talk things out before that Sango girl got her clutches on her again.

It was just so fucking hard to be all moral when Kagome was sucking her way down his chest like that!

When she reached his belly button the hanyou decided that if he did not stop her then and there, he wouldn't stop her at all. Tightening his grip on her shoulders, he all-but-hauled up Kagome so she was face to face with him again. "We can't do this."

He was sure she was trying to cock her head to one side, but she ended up resting her head on her shoulder, eyes fluttering, "Why not?"

_Good. She sounds sleepy._

"Because I—we can't. I don't want to hurt you."

His words caused Kagome to start up. Looking into her eyes, Inuyasha could see she was trying not to cry.

"Why should you be any different? All guys just use me and leave me. That hurts. _Sex_ hurts," She paused, her head down for a moment. Inuyasha thought she was weeping, but suddenly Kagome raised head, her glazed eyes filled with lust and determination. "At least you're good at it…sorta," a thin smile formed over her lips and she leaned up to Inuyasha's mouth. "Now where were we?" Her breath curled across his lips and more than likely would have been the undoing of him, but the smell of alcohol called out to him, and again Inuyasha pushed Kagome away.

"I said no."

Kagome visibly pouted, "I said yes. It's the least you can do. Or have your forgotten how?" Deft, slender were trying to work his belt buckle, but lacked the dexterity to get anywhere.

Inuyasha found himself rising to her glib: "Wh-what? I remember how! And what do you mean _sorta_?!"

"Then prove it!"

Glaring down at her, it was all Inuyasha could do not to prove it. "Kagome no. Not to tonight. Maybe when you're sober."

"Oh, so now you're all honorable! Ha! There's no such thing." She swayed a little on her feet and her eye lids fluttered. Despite her bravado, Inuyasha could see she was wearing down, running pretty much on fumes.

"Fine. I'll show you the bedroom and let me brush my teeth."

Kagome nodded and took a few staggering steps forward. Seeing that she really wasn't going to last much longer, Inuyasha scooped her up in his arms and carried her to his futon top that had been dropped in the center of his living room.

"Where's your bed? Aren't I good enough for a bed?" Kagome grumbled, her words slurring together. She had closed her eyes now, but every once in a while she gave a good hearted effort to keep them open, failing miserably each time.

"This is my bed. I just moved." _And I've spent so much time looking for your sorry ass that I've had no time to put the damn thing together._

Nodding in understanding, Kagome allowed Inuyasha to tuck her under the covers. He then hurried back into the kitchen, found a clean glass to fill with water and rushed back to Kagome. "Here, drink this."

"Why?" She grumbled.

Kneeling down, Inuyasha supported her head and got her to drink as he explained how it would help to fight off her hang over in the morning. He repeated the process a few more times until Kagome was chocking water back up she was so out of it.

To make sure that she really would fall asleep, Inuyasha locked himself in the bathroom. After brushing his teeth, he picked up a magazine and flipped through the pages until the words started to run together.

_I need sleep just as much as Kagome_.

Going back into the living room, Inuyasha found her passed out and sprawled over the futon's surface.

He had been planning on taking his couch (which the movers had been nice enough to put in his bedroom for him) but looking down at the unconscious Kagome, suddenly the hard lumpy sofa didn't seem like such a good idea.

_You didn't sleep with her and she was _begging _for it. Don't you deserve a good cuddle?_

With another moment of hesitation, Inuyasha climbed in beside Kagome. Carefully trying not to wake her he repositioned her body so it was lined up with his, spooning her into him, her back to his chest. It had been so long since he had been this close to anyone, much less Kagome. She moaned gently in her sleep and pushed her body back into his. The hanyou tightened his hold on her, reveling in her scent and softness. Sleepily, he pressed a kiss to her temple and Kagome responded by murmuring something that sounded damn near his name.

_I hope this lasts…_

In moments, Inuyasha was asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome woke slowly, here head pounding and stomach aching. When she had finally eked her eyes open, the light from the windows around her proved too much.

Instantly, she was on her shaky legs and running for the bathroom.

Only to realize that she wasn't in her apartment.

And worse.

She had no idea where the bathroom was.

To add insult to injury, the overwhelming need to pee also possessed Kagome.

Dashing down the narrow hallway, she opened the first door she came to. Fuck! It was filled with boxes and no toilet!

Mercifully, the next door she tried was in fact a bathroom and Kagome rushed inside, breathing a sigh of relief that she made it in the nick of time.

Once she had finished using the facilities and had washed the potent taste of vomit out of her mouth, Kagome wanted to look around, but instead found herself on the floor of the bathroom, leaning her head against the cool porcelain of the bathtub.

Dully, she became aware of a buzzing coming from her jeans. Contorting this way and that, Kagome finally managed to pull out her cell phone, which was vibrating its poor little heart out.

Not bothering to see who was calling, she answered it, "Hello?" Her voice came cracking and groggy and Kagome had to clear it before saying a greeting before.

She needn't have bothered.

"Where. In The. HELL are you? Christ Kagome. I've been calling for hours. HOURS. I was certain Inuyasha had turned into a serial killer and come back to maim, rape, and murder you. Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I swear…"

Sango continued on for some time, and Kagome set the phone down to heave again over the toilet when another painful wave of nausea hit home. When she finished, she picked up her phone to hear Sango's rant just tapering off.

"…I'd just have to cut it off. Are you alright?"

Kagome was thrown by the question. She had been so busy finding the bathroom it only registered that she wasn't in her apartment and therefore the bathroom wasn't where it should be. Peering around the bathroom, Kagome tried to gage how "alright" she was, but couldn't say anything definitive.

"Kagome? Are you still alive? Serisously? Inuyasha didn't murder you just now, did he? Kagome!?" Sango's frantic, gasping voice echoed out on the tiled bathroom walls.

"I'm fine Sango. Wait." Kagome felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest. "Did you say Inuyasha?"

That name. That face. That asshole! At the mere thought of Inuyasha, Kagome reflexively felt for her clothes and was relieved that she had the same shirt, jeans, and presumably panties on from the night before.

Sango was taking Kagome's confusion and running with it. "What do you mean _Inuyasha??_ Like you don't remember last night."

Pausing, Kagome realized that she did not in fact remember much of the night before. _Ok, I was drinking after Kouga left like that, and then I made Sango take me out because I didn't want to be in my apartment. We were talking and then…then…oh fuck monkeys! _Kagome's mind was suddenly awash in images of her activities from the previous night, ending with her and Inuyasha in his kitchen.

"Saaaangooooo," Kagome whined, breaking through her friend's rant. "I know I've said it before, but you are not to let me near tequila again."

"What could you have possibly done this time that was so bad?"

"I think I tried to rape Inuyasha in his kitchen," she groaned, covering half her face with her free hand.

Sango sounded doubtful, "Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?"

"I'm sure," Kagome remember the way she had sucked to Inuyasha's collar bone. "He really didn't seem to want me. I'm so embarrassed."

Sango only snorted in response.

Before Kagome could retort, there was a soft knock on the door and not waiting for her answer, Inuyasha popped his head inside.

"Sango, let me call you right back."

XXXXXXXX

Pulling up to Kagome's apartment building, Kouga took a moment to run his claws through his hair. He needed to look good for his lady. Especially since he had to kidnap said lady, spirit her away from all she knew to be his baby-making machine. Otherwise, he would lose his title, position in his pack, and the large stipend that entailed. Sure all the brats he and Kagome would conceive together would be hanyous, but they would keep her occupied and show all the wolves how fertile he really was. As a wolf prince should be.

But Kagome really was the lucky one here. She was finally going to get some of that goddamn "commitment" she was always bitching about. He would have to stay faithful to her, so that would mean he would have to be extra careful about the mistress he was planned to keep.

Picking up the crumbled, half-dead flowers he had bought from the gas station that morning, Kouga climbed out of the car. Taking the steps two at a time, he found himself outside Kagome's door, but not alone. Sitting on her welcome mat was Kagome's friend, what's-her-face.

"What are you doing here?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome looked at the eggs, orange juice, small coffee, and muffin sitting out in front of her as though they were all plotting amongst themselves as to the best way to eat her face off her bones.

Shyly, under her eye lashes, she stole a look at Inuyasha who was still intently staring at her from across his tiny kitchen table.

Perhaps it was better to keep her eyes on her scheming breakfast.

However the silence was starting to drum on Kagome's already sensitive temples.

"Ok fine!" She growled in a huff and took a gigantic bite out of the muffin. _Mmm. Blueberry._

Inuyasha couldn't hide his smirk. "At least you don't think its poisoned."

"Hmmpf!" Kagome attempted to speak over the mound of muffin stuffing her face.

Since it appeared he could have Kagome's attention without the girl in question interrupting him, Inuyasha snapped up the opportunity with a deep breath and a plunge, "You're not an easy girl to track down." _Lame, lame, lame._

Kagome, who found shoveling eggs into her mouth served to settle her stomach, stared at Inuyasha blankly, fork poised half-way to her mouth.

"Really?" She reflected on his words for a moment, and added, "Why are you looking for me?" Sango's fears about Inuyasha murdering her and cutting her up in his bathtub drenched Kagome's mind. Nervously, she set her food down and leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

Now that she was actually talking to him, Inuyasha felt a wave of shyness wash over him._ Great fucking time to get all blushy._

Swallowing the choking-ball of anxiety that threatened to suffocate him, Inuyasha forced the words out: "I fucked up."

Kagome blinked at him, her brows coming together in apparent confusion. "You fucked up? How? Bringing me here last night so I could assault you?"

"You didn't _assault_ me. When I left," the hanyou struggled to clarify. "I shouldn't have done that."

Once more, all he got was a blank stare.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha prodded. He had hoped for a more a reaction—preferably one between what had happened the night before (the good) and any scenario where that hot cup of coffee ended up being poured down one of his fluffy puppy ears (the bad and the ugly).

Her face remained serene and her voice cool as she spoke, "Why do you think I would care about something that happened three years ago, Inuyasha?"

"I—I was your first—"

"But not my only," there was a sudden harshness to Kagome's eyes and bitterness that did not suit her. Clearly she was upset but refused to admit it. "Look, Inuyasha, thanks for breakfast and letting me crash here and sorry about that thing I put on your neck, but I should be going." She started to move her chair back to stand.

"Wait!" Inuyasha leaned across the narrow table to gently hold Kagome in her seat by her shoulder. "Ok, maybe I didn't mean as much to you as you did to me," the bottom of his stomach plummeted at the thought, but he continued on, "but I can't stop thinking about you. Are you saying you don't think about me at all?"

Kagome resigned herself to sitting in the chair for a little longer, glaring at Inuyasha, "You think about the girl you left without your new number or address? Couldn't get me off you mind, really? You seriously expect me to believe that Inuyasha?"

"I was fucking afraid Kagome!"

"Of me?"

"Yes!" Inuyasha threw his hands up in the air. "You liked me, you accepted me. You let me have sex with you! You accepted me in a way no one else ever had. Kami Kagome, with you it was like everything was going to be alright—all those things my brother and other demons and humans had told me weren't true—I could be happy. But at the same time everything was spiraling out of my control. I so afraid it was too good to be true that it really was." His voice cracked in exasperation, and the hanyou could feel his heart beating blood into his ears.

Kagome rolled her eyes, though she had to give him points for originality and persistence, "So what? You didn't think you could handle a long distant relationship? If you weren't fucking me, there was no reason to stay in touch?"

"No!" Inuyasha leaned over, fisting his hands in his bowed head. He counted to ten, breathing to calm himself down. When he spoke again, his voice had grown quiet, tired: "At the time, it just didn't seem like you would last. That if I tried to hold on to you, anything you felt for me would just be gone. I guess I thought that if I wasn't there you would get bored with a long distance relationship. And…and I guess there was the fact I didn't really know how to treat a girl I really cared about. You were my only girl friend who wanted _me_ not just something I could buy her—I knew I didn't deserve you. I was a jerk."

Nodding stiffly, Kagome processed what she was hearing. "So why are you here now?" Her expression was still unreadable, but her eyes were softer and Inuyasha could pick up the tell-tell signs of tears forming beneath her skin. She wasn't going to burst into sobs, but she was thinking about it.

"I guess I wanted to see you more than anything, to know that you're alright. But really, I like to think I've changed—"

Cutting him off with a growl, Kagome threw a piece of egg at his head, "And so what? I'm supposed to welcome you back with open arms!"

"No—"

"I know you can smell another man on me from last night Inuyasha," she said defiantly, but through the front she was putting up, Inuyasha could see something of the girl he had left three years earlier. She might not be exactly the same, but despite her words and actions, there was still a little of the old Kagome left. "He doesn't take me seriously, in fact, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we fucked like rabbits."

"That's not what I want."

"So what you want is automatically what I want?" Kagome called his bluff. Inside, she could feel her self control slipping. She didn't want to be angry, but anger was the only thing she had to shield her in her weakened state. Inuyasha made warm fuzzy feelings bloom inside her stomach, feeding the butterflies that were already running amuck down there. There was no way she could let Inuyasha in and survive if he left again. She was still missing pieces of her from the last time they were together, and no other man—not even Kouga when he had been his best and she most felt she might love him—could fill that gap.

"God would you just fucking listen to me? It hurt—"

Kagome gave one last stab at wrath: "Fine Inuyasha! What do you want me to say? When you left something broke inside? Because it did. I was a stupid little girl who believed in soul mates and true loved and fucking happily ever after. One minute you were there and the next think I knew you were gone and I had to hear it from Miroku of all people that you had known your family was leaving for months. So yes, Inuyasha, that hurt, and I don't think I've ever really recovered from being abandoned. You used me and left me. I didn't know what else you could have planned." Her hands shook a little after her words left her. It felt good to have finally said all that out loud to Inuyasha; Kagome needed him to understand.

"I didn't mean for things to happen the way they did! I never actually thought we'd go that far."

"Right. Assuming I actually believe that, after we had sex, you still thought there was no reason to tell me you were leaving?" Some of the heat had left Kagome's attack, and the words felt empty to her ears. Looking back on the night before, Inuyasha had taken care of her. He didn't drink at the bar and drove her home sober. The hanyou had not taken advantage of her drunken proposition, and even let her sleep in his bed. Or what constituted his bed. And he had some pretty kick ass blueberry muffins on hand, so maybe there might be something to this. _Maybe_.

Inuyasha hoped he was reaching her; she didn't seem as angry as she had been. _Baby steps is all I can do._ "Like I said, I was a stupid jerk, and I'm so unbelievably sorry, Kagome, really. I guess I'm here because, well, I wanted to know that you're alright and hoping I could see you again. Though possibly without the tequila," Inuyasha gave a weak stab at humor to test the waters.

All the fight whooshed out of Kagome with his apology. He looked so damn sincere, and Inuyasha was not the type of guy who could lie to a girl's face about something like this. It was Inuyasha, after all, and maybe he was telling the truth—stranger things had happened. Besides, she knew how to be on her guard now thanks to Kouga. "I don't know, Inuyasha. I—I think I want to, but I'm not sure if that's such a good idea," she answered honestly.

Inuyasha sighed, "I understand." Reaching out across the table, he lightly picked a blueberry off her face with a smile, "I just wanted you to know there aren't that many people that I care for, but you're one of them. I'm here for you if you need me."

Shaking her head, Kagome found herself saying, "I'm not the same girl you knew three years ago. I've changed—you might not even like the person I've become." He needed to know what she was like now, but Inuyasha cut her off.

"I could say the same thing about myself, Kagome. I know no one is perfect and that people don't stay exactly the same. But I'm sure all the good parts of you are still there." Carefully he reached out and took up her hand, stroking his thumb on the underside of her palm. "I'm not saying we should pick up where we left off. I just want a chance to see you again. Maybe more than once, if you can still stand me."

Kagome gave him a weak smile, "All right. I guess we could try." She pushed a tear away with the side of her hand. "I'm sorry," she sniffled. It was amazing how calm she felt with Inuyasha's soothing words and touch; at least she could be somewhat certain he wasn't about to murder her. "I'm not usually like this—emotional, angry, bitter. Its just first Kouga and then waking up in your apartment of people's threw me a bit."

"So what are you like?" Inuyasha offered helpfully, giving them both an out of their serious conversation.

Kagome gave him a bleary-eyed smile, "Do you really want to know?"

Inuyasha nodded.

Fidgeting with her eggs, Kagome tried to think of what to say. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but something in her didn't want to reveal too much. "I'm in college now. I study year round, even over the summer, so with the university classes I took when we were still in high school, I'm going to graduate early, and then it's off to med school."

"Sounds like you've got things together," Inuyasha offered a smile.

"Everything but dating," Kagome snorted. She rubbed her fingers over her forehead, "I don't know why I put up with Kouga—loneliness I guess. I had two boyfriends after you, but they really didn't want to stick around. Kouga's just the one who keeps coming back, even if it is just for sex." Kagome finished with a sad shrug, more than aware of the fact she had not wanted to say anything like that to Inuyasha. "I'm a mess when it comes to anything that resembles a relationship."

"Kagome, I'm—"

She held up a hand to stop him. "Don't say you're sorry again. It's my own fault; wallowing in my own self pity. You could say you were the catalyst," Kagome finished with a shrug, and they fell in to a small silence.

Inuyasha looked as though he wanted to say something, but before he could get the words out, Kagome's phone buzzed through her jeans.

Checking the id box, she saw it was Sango. She answered it with a chuckle, keeping her eyes locked with Inuyasha's, "Sango, I'm fine, Inuyasha's not trying to put me through his meat grinder."

Sango was much subdued from their earlier conversation. "Kagome, I'm at your apartment. I think you should come here."

Immediately, Kagome knew something was off. "Sango, are you okay?"

There was a pause and it sounded as though someone was giving instructions. "No, Kagome." More silence. Suddenly, there was the sound of air blowing over the phone's mouth piece, followed by a slamming car do, then stillness. Sango's voice came in. She was clearly out of breath, but the strange monotone she had been speaking in was replaced by words fast with worry, "Kagome, look, I was at your apartment waiting for you and Kouga showed up. He seemed really angry and," there was clearly the sound of someone punching metal, "he wanted to know where you were. He took my purse—bastard has my keys so I can't drive off—but he gave my phone to call you. Look, I'm going to call the cops before he puts another dent in my hood."

Kagome dumbly agreed, "Ok, we'll be right over, Sango, hang in there." Her mind was having trouble processing everything that was happening. She did know that she needed to get to her friend. If Kouga did anything to Sango, Kagome knew she would only have herself to blame. "Inuyasha, you have to take me home. I think Sango's in trouble."

XXXXXXXXX

**A/N: FYI, I am working on over hauling my story "Better Things than You" but I've found it needs a lot more work than I had previously supposed. The last few chapters I posted are seriously lacking in more things than one, so I'm cutting excess off and planning new things to put in. Once I get it going in a coherent direction, I'll start posting edited chapters. Since I had been working on "Better Things" I rewarded myself with an update to this fic.**


	3. You Must Be Joking

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and do not make from this fan fiction. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.**

Hentai Strumpet: An explanation of Kagome's characterization? I'll try. The way I see it is Kagome in her teen years was the Kagome we all know and love, but then she slept with Inuyasha and he left her (because his parents moved) and she sort of broke. I don't want to say she's a whore, banging every guy in sight, but like any woman she has sexual needs, both physical and emotional, but in her case, whenever poor Kagome does hook up with someone its kind of a painful process. She's reminded of her first time with Inuyasha and ends up drinking herself into a stupor. Essentially, this story is her search for closure—how this slightly bad girl Kagome can find a balance in her life (and have sex without destroying her liver!). If that doesn't explain it, or if it confuses you more, tell me what you don't understand and I'll try to make it more clear.

**A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers, you guys are great! Unlike this chapter—it's the product of allergies, familial neglect, and my solitary, unmotivated life. Anyway, I have bigger, more empowered things for Kagome in the next one, so please tolerate this offering as a stepping stone to something better.**

**I'm still trying to hammer 'Better Things Than You' into something I like, so I hope to start up dating that soon too!**

**Stay cool—its really hot outside! Drink your fluids and wear sunscreen!**

**Chapter 3**

_Afterward, neither of the pair could have said _how_ it started, just that it did._ _One minute, Kagome and Inuyasha were in his room playing video games, the next they were in Inuyasha's room making out on his floor._

_Somehow Kagome's tank top was tossed across the room, soon followed by Inuyasha's shirt. Next came her skirt and his jeans._

_Looking down at the nearly-naked Kagome, Inuyasha matched the girl in his arms blush for blush. She couldn't hold his gaze for long, but he could scent out her desire._

"_Look at me," Inuyasha urged. He pulled her chin gently to face him and leaned down to kiss her. Kagome relaxed and pressed herself into him, coiling her arms around Inuyasha to bring him closer. The kiss deepened and Inuyasha reached behind Kagome to fumble with her bra._

_He had seen other guys do this in movies, but as soon as his fingers touched the elastic cotton, Inuyasha's fingers turned to bouncy rubber. 'How in the hell does she get this thing on? It's welded together!! How am I supposed to take it off? Are her boobs even worth this trouble? Kami! All I want to do is see 'em!'_

_Kagome squirmed around a bit, unsure of what was going on. Inuyasha seemed to be focusing on one small portion of her back. She knew her own anatomy, and had never thought of the space in between her shoulder blades as an erogenous zone._

_Hesitantly, Kagome begin to do some exploring of her own. Her fingers ghosted down his sides, further, further down until she was touching the elastic of his boxers. At first she was unsure of how to proceed but her curiosity got the better of her, and before Kagome knew it, her hand was moving under Inuyasha and into the front of his shorts._

_Kagome's first reaction was to jerk her hand back when her touch encountered his stiffness, but something propelled her forward. Boldly, Kagome wrapped her fingers around Inuyasha and the hanyou froze whatever it was he was trying to accomplish behind her back._

"_Kagome…" he choked out. Pulling his hands out from behind her back, Inuyasha slid one behind her head, the other down her hand to grasp her wrist. "…are you," gulp "sure you want this? To be with me, I mean."_

_Kagome met his eyes head on, looking at him lovingly, but confused. "Of course I want you. Why wouldn't I?" She craned her head so she could reach his lips._

_Her words jarred Inuyasha. She spoke them so clearly, resolutely. It was almost as though she did not think of him as different, but just like any other guy: "I'm a hanyou, Kagome," Inuyasha attempted to clarify. "Most girls would be fairly disgusted to just be like this," he let go of her hand for a moment to sweep over their barely clothed forms, "with me. I'm not like you—I'm not a demon. No one else has ever wanted me…like this." He blushed bright red when he realized he was a virgin._

"_I'm sure," Kagome rolled her eyes. "You always have other girls hanging around you."_

_Feeling that the conversation was about kill the moment completely, Inuyasha leaned over and forcefully kissed Kagome. "Believe me, none of them have ever wanted to go this far. I'm kind of glad though. It means I waited for you."_

_Kagome blinked at him. She honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not, but there was something in his eyes: a mixture of seriousness and strain, as though he was worried._

"_Inuyasha?"_

"_I just want to know…" he paused to suck in a deep breath and push his hair out of his face, gaze falling. "I guess I want to know that you really want me. That you're not just here because of the heat of the moment or something." His voice dropped to a whispered, "I don't want you to regret this when we're done."_

_Kagome nodded, completely at a loss of words. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. Inuyasha was being so, so open, so vulnerable with her. He was always more unguarded with her than other people, but there was something touching about this. She kissed him again and moved her hand to stroke his cheek._

"_I can't answer for those other girls, but I know I want to be with you. Just…um…." Her face blushed painfully red. "Be careful."_

_When it was over, they lay there silently for a few moments, both a little shocked and very embarrassed about what had just happened. Shyly Inuyasha pulled Kagome to him, nuzzling her hair. Kagome snuggled as close to as she could and laid her head on his chest._

**XXX**

It took them all of five minutes to reach her apartment, with the combination of Kagome's psycho bitch driving and the fact Inuyasha's apartment was practically around the corner from hers. (The pair would have made the short trip in three minutes if it had not been for pesky pedestrians and Inuyasha's short-lived resistance to letting Kagome drive his car, ending in a tweaked ear and attempted kick to the groin.)

The brief drive time was not to say they were able to complete it without an argument.

"When we get there, don't get out of the car," Kagome said as she sped down the street.

"Are you kidding? This Kouga guy could have hurt your friend and you expect me to just let you go in there alone?"

"Yes!"

"Kami Kagome! Why won't you just let me protect you?!"

Kagome was silent for a moment before she answered, even if it was a somewhat rhetorical question: "I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for the past three years." Jerking the wheel she pulled off the road and onto the side street that lead to her apartment.

Inuyasha snarled at her: "I've said I was sorry Kagome! What do I have to get you to trust me?" _What else do I have to say? What do I have to do? We're getting along fine and then one little misstep and she's pissed again._

Not bothering to answer him with more than a cold glare, Kagome gave the steering wheel another hard tug. She knew she was being a bitch to Inuyasha, but dammit she already had Sango to worry about and she didn't want to add Inuyasha to her fast-forming ulcer. Fish-tailing into the parking lot, Kagome screeched to a halt next to Sango's empty car. The poor thing's hood of had multiple dents and pock marks sprinkled over its surface and the driver's side door was open.

"Sango!" Kagome cried. She leaped from Inuyasha's car and sprinted for the steps of her building, Inuyasha trailing on her heels. Taking the stairs up to her apartment two at a time, Kagome was quickly at her door, only to find it hanging off its hinges and splattered with claw marks.

_There goes my security deposit._ Kagome rolled her eyes and pushed her way into her apartment.

"San—" She was cut short when Inuyasha clamped a hand over her mouth.

"We need to be careful—look what he did to your door!" Inuyasha hissed as he stepped in front of Kagome. He tried to grab her arm, but she wrenched away.

Growling, Kagome began to tip toe behind Inuyasha as he sniffed through the apartment. Kagome's was the most widespread scent with smatterings of other women and then there was the wolf.

Inuyasha couldn't help grumbling under his breath, but somehow managed to keep his cool and lead the way through Kagome's home in the direction of the strongest wolf scent. It wasn't long before he came to what he could only assume was her bedroom. The door was shut tightly, but Inuyasha could detect the odor of sleep and clothes coming from inside. Cowering outside the door was a wolf demon who had to be Kouga.

He was bleeding from a somewhat flat forehead and there was a small dint in the bedroom door.

"That bitch shut the door in my face," he whined to Inuyasha as though the hanyou would genuinely care.

"Get the fuck out," Inuyasha growled and pointed in the direction of the exit. Storming forward, he reached to grab the wolf, but Kouga flashed out of the way.

Kouga snarled, "Who. The. Fuck. Are. You?" Looking over Inuyasha's shoulder, he locked eyes with Kagome. "And what is Kagome doing with you." Delicately, he sniffed the air, taking in his woman's scent. "And why in the hell does she smell like you mutt? She's mine."

He tried to make a dash to Kagome, but Inuyasha stepped in his path, "I don't think so." He punctuated his words with a shove to Kouga's chest. "You're going to leave now."

"No, I need to talk to Kagome." Desperation flashed across Kouga's face, but his ice-blue eyes quickly regained their cool.

"Leave!" Inuyasha commanded, to which Kouga answered with a punch to Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha leapt at the wolf, tackling him around the waist so he bore him to the floor. The two wrestled about in the ground for the span of several minutes, but in the end it was Kouga who bested the hanyou and shoved him out of the way.

Dashing at her, Kouga grabbed Kagome up and leapt out of the nearest window. There was a loud thud when Kagome's head came in contact with the wood and her startled cry was silenced. Inuyasha scrambled after them, but the demon was moving so fast there was no way he could reach them; Kouga was practically flying over the city and it had been years since Inuyasha had gone roof jumping.

"Fuck!" Roaring, Inuyasha banged his hands on the sill, his eyes flashing red for a moment.

"Calm down," came a hiss from behind him. Whirling on his heel, Inuyasha came eye to eye with the girl from the night before.

"Sango."

"You remember me," Sango answered noncommittally, stepping across the kitchen to pick up her purse from the table. She could just remember flinging it there as she ran into the apartment to escape from Kouga. She had been trying to hit him with the bag, but it had been difficult to aim while fleeing for one's life. And worrying about what Kouga had told her. "What are you doing here? Didn't you get enough of Kagome last night?" She had to deal with Kouga now. Inuyasha, for whatever reason he was here, had not been able to stop Kouga from taking her friend. And now it might be too late for Kagome.

Inuyasha glared at Sango. They had never been friends and from the way she was sizing him up, it didn't look like today was going to be the day for smiles and sunshine between them. "Who are you to say who Kagome can be around? Yeah, I remember you in high school, never thinking I was good enough for Miroku or Kagome."

Crossing her arms, Sango tapped her fingers against her skin. She did not back down from Inuyasha's glare: "You hurt her once, I'm not going to trust someone who's already a fuck up."

Inuyasha let out a long growl, baring his fangs as his eyes flashed red for another instant. "I may be a fuck up and all but I'm back now and that bastard's taken Kagome. I'm going after her!"

He made a rush at broken door but Sango's words stopped him. "You don't know where to go."

"Then fucking tell me!"

"So what? So you can go play hero and whisk Kagome off her feet so she'll come running into your arms?"

"No! So that fucker doesn't hurt her! What are we waiting for?"

Sango thought for a moment, weighing her options. If what Kouga said was true, then she could use the help of someone like Inuyasha—even if he had somehow let Kagome be kidnapped. It was better than going in alone. But she was still unsure of Inuyasha and his motives.

In the end, she decided that there were more pressing matters at hand than an old flame of Kagome's. If they didn't hurry, there might not be much of a Kagome left. Quickly, Sango strided to the door, pausing only when she did not hear Inuyasha's tread behind her own. "Are you coming?" Sango asked from the doorway.

"Where? Why? Do you know what he's going to do with Kagome?" With each question, Inuyasha become visibly more agitated.

"I'll explain on the way, but we're going to Kouga's 'Love Lair'. As he likes to call it."

"L-love lair?" Inuyasha choked. He stumbled to follow Sango out of the apartment. He skidded to a stop next to her car's passenger side door.

"That bastard—look what he did to my car!" Sango hissed as she slid inside, popping the lock so Inuyasha could hop in the other side.

"So…Kouga's Love Lair?" Inuyasha prodded, both to get the conversation going and to distract himself from Sango's Kagome-esqu manic driving.

"His apartment," Sango explained. "Yeah, he's a douche bag—he's never deserved Kagome."

"So why's she with him?" He asked, clutching the arm rest in hopes to keep himself in the vehicle. For some reason, he didn't trust the seat belt alone.

Silent for a moment, Sango mulled over the question: "I'd say loneliness." Another pause. "She's not always like she was last night. Usually she's just Kagome, but sex seems to turn her into a manic alcoholic." Sango's eyes darted off the road for a moment to glance at Inuyasha, "She's been that way since you left."

"What do I have to do with it?" Inuyasha knew he wasn't going to like the answer.

"Honestly? I think she really loved you—maybe part of her still does—and when you were gone sex was nothing more than a frightening reminder to being abandoned. I think that she ends up with guys like Kouga because she's afraid of getting close to anyone—its hard to love someone who treats you like shit all the time."

Sango spun the car down a narrow ally and Inuyasha was sure he could hear the sound of its door's scrapping against the walls of the buildings they passed.

"So wh-why did Kouga take her?"

"That's the part you're not going to like," she said as they veered out of the alley and to the right lane of traffic. "I'm not sure of the exact 'where' but I know 'what' he is taking her to." Skidding to a stop, Inuyasha saw they were parked in front of another apartment complex.

"And _what_'s that?" Inuyasha asked, jumping out of the car to trail Sango up the external stair case. She stopped on a landing. Not missing a beat, she kicked in the door knob that gave with unsettling ease. Unsettling ease if it had been his own apartment, Inuyasha observed.

Sango walked inside, clearly scanning for something. She made of move for an open lab top set up on the living room's coffee table. Inuyasha was sure he heard her mutter _idiot_ under her breath as she began clicking away.

"_What_ is he taking Kagome to?" Inuyasha hissed when Sango did not answer him. She was too busy walking over to a nearby printer.

"Here," she pressed a freshly printed map into his hands.

"Where the fuck is this?"

"Its driving directions from Kagome's apartment to the wolf elder's meeting place. I knew if we came here we'd find something like this. Kouga can't drive in the city for shit!" She was beaming as she dragged Inuyasha from the apartment.

"Wh-what? Elders? Meeting Place? What the hell does this have to do with Kagome? Is this the part that I'm not going to like?"

Starting up her car, Sango nodded as she raced out of the apartment parking lot. "All right here's what Kouga told me."

Inuyasha watched Sango's face as they weaved in and out of traffic. She was clearly attempting to pull the words she was about to say out of her mouth. "Well?" If she didn't hurry up he would do it for her.

Sango decided it was best to start at the beginning: "Evidently Kouga was engaged to a wolf princess and the pack elders found out he was cheating on her with Kagome."

"So what does Kagome have to do with them?" He hated to think about Kagome with that—that wolf, but Sango was stalling again.

"They're punishing Kouga by making him marry Kagome. He wasn't clear on how that's punishment, but that's what he said. He'll forfeit his crown he doesn't bring Kagome to the elders tonight _and_ marry her in their presence. Then he has to live out Kagome's lifespan, being faithful to her."

The interior of the car was silent for several agonizing heartbeats as Inuyasha dug his claws into his palms and Sango continued to speed through traffic.

_This cannot fucking be happening. I finally track Kagome down and then some wolf kidnaps her._

Grabbing for anything to say to break the silence, Inuyasha uttered, "I take it Kagome has no say in the matter?"

"From what I can gather, Kouga thinks she'll be thrilled at the prospect of becoming his wife," Sango said with a deep sigh and head shake at Kouga's pompous ass-ness.

"What do you think Kagome wants," Inuyasha questioned hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to hear the answer himself. Kagome had been with this guy even if he was a jackass. What if the idea of being married to Kouga wasn't her worst option?

Sango's shoulders shrugged. "I can't answer for her myself, but I would say being married to Kouga isn't on her list of hopes and dreams. Its not going to matter if we don't get there in time though. Once they're married, Kouga's going to whisk her away so she won't be able to escape him. He wants his title of prince protected."

Inuyasha tried to resist the urge to rip off the handle off the car door and failed. Sango batted an eye as she took in the piece of metal and plastic for a split second before turning her attention back to the road. "I hope you're planning on paying for that, otherwise you can get out here."

Inuyasha gulped, glancing out the window at the scenery whizzing by. "I'll replace it."

"I thought so."

The car continued to weave in and out of traffic.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome blinked her eyes, slowly registering her surroundings. Rolling her head, she tried to work out the crick she had from letting her head hang down as she had slept. She was sitting—or more tied—to a chair in the middle of a dimly lit room. She could make out dark wooden walls and a circular green rug covering a small scrap of the polished wooden floor. In front of her, set against the wall under a decorative scroll, was a shine. Rather elaborate in contrast to the rest of the sparse furnishings.

Kagome rocked from side to side, testing the flimsy wooden chair and her bindings to it. Her waist had been bound to the chair's back. When she tried to lift her hands, she found they were strapped firmly to the arm rests. Her legs were tied to the legs of the chair. And some fucker had put a gag in her mouth. Her tongue could feel some kind of cloth and with a twitch of her lips, Kagome knew there was probably duct tape slapped over them.

_Kouga._

Kagome had a blurry remembrance of being in her apartment, the broken door, her ex boyfriend cowering outside her bedroom door…Inuyasha yelling at him. It all had happened so fast.

_Where is Inuyasha?_ She hoped nothing had happened to him; that Kouga hadn't hurt him…or disemboweled the poor hanyou. _I wonder if he even tried to stop Kouga from kidnapping me. I wonder…if he'll come to save me._

_Why would he? I was being so bitchy earlier when all he wanted to do was help._

She gave another furtive tug at the ropes, but nothing gave. _How did people always get free in those spy movies? _Kagome gulped at her next realization: _sometimes they don't get out. Sometimes they get chopped up in little pieces, tossed in garbage bags, thrown out on the side of the road. I know Kouga's not the most reliable man, but he isn't unstable. Is he?_

Before she had a chance to pounder further her own death, she heard the distinctive sound of a door opening behind her. Turning as best she could, Kagome made eye contact with Kouga who smiled sheepishly at her. He strolled over to her and she could see a bag of Wac Donald's in his hands.

"I got your favorite," the demon smiled down at her. Clearly, he expected her to answer even though that was impossible beyond a humming growl. "Well, if you're going to be that ungrateful—"

He stopped short at the glare Kagome was giving him and finally noticed the lower half of her face covered in duct tape.

"Oh, I'm sorry baby!" Kouga chuckled at himself, reaching forward and ripping off the tape. Kagome immediately spit out whatever mystery cloth it was that had been jammed into her mouth. Looking down at it, she was horrified to see a very familiar pair of underwear falling out.

"What the hell are my panties doing in my mouth Kouga!" Kagome shouted. "And what the fuck am I doing here?!" Her eyes blazed, unsure of which she was more angry about—the chocking-hazard knickers or being unlawfully taken and bound to a chair. An extremely uncomfortable chair.

"I thought it would be sexy, baby. You know, we've never tried anything very kinky." Kouga had the gall to sill be smiling at her. He pulled what smelled like a fish sandwich out of the bag, unwrapping it and holding it out for her. It was definitely fish and fish was not Kagome's favorite.

When she did not immediately reach for it with her bound hands, Kouga gave her a funny look. "If you weren't hungry, you could have said something."

Flexing her fingers, Kagome wished she could gouge them into Kouga's eyes. He deserved at least that for the oral underwear. "Why am I here Kouga?"

Instead of answering, Kouga stuffed the fish sandwich in her mouth. "You must be starved, its way past lunch time." Kagome had little choice but to swallow down the first bite, but she refused to let Kouga jam anymore of the greasy fish into her mouth.

"Kouga! Keep that garbage away from me! And tell me what I'm doing here!"

"Why'd you eat it if you didn't want it Kagome! I could have had it instead, but now its covered in your slobber!" The wolf demon scowled at Kagome and then examined the remains of the sandwich before chucking it at the nearest wall.

"Kouga!"

"What?!"

"You haven't answered my questions. What am I doing here?"

Kouga brushed his fingers through his hair, sighing in exasperation. "You're here to so we can get married tonight."

Kagome felt the room pivot around her, but the feeling of nausea quickly passed as it was soothed by a strong balm of denial. _I'd forgotten Kouga had a sense of humor._

Kagome couldn't stifle a chuckle at his joke: "That's a good one Kouga. Now why am I here?"

"So we can get married tonight."

"Stop dicking around Kouga," Kagome's tone spoke of warning. "Please be serious! You at least own me an explanation for tying me to a fucking chair!"

"I am being serious! We're getting married tonight."

Her mind stuttered, "Wh-what about Ayame? Fuck that! What about me! I don't want to marry you! You're an asshole!" Suddenly Kagome wished she had more of her fish sandwich so she could spit it into Kouga's face. He just looked so smug and pleased with himself—even in the face of her decent.

"I can't marry Ayame—she's knows I've been fucking you!" Kouga through his head back and laughed as though he had just said the best joke ever—or that Kagome was painfully yet hilariously stupid.

"So why in the hell do I have to marry you?" Kagome tried to stay calm, but her control was slipping. If she hadn't been in that stupid chair, Kouga would have been mauled. Of that she was certain. She would have killed the bastard. "Who even says we have to get married?"

Kouga put a conciliatory hand on Kagome's shoulder, "The elders are making me. As part of my punishment for being unfaithful to my betrothed I have to marry you and live with you until you die Kagome or they'll take away my title of wolf prince Kagome. And you know I couldn't let that happen! They'd take away my royal stipend and I'd just be a nobody!"

A large vein in Kagome's forehead began to tick. She clutched the chair handles for support as the room began to spin again: "I'm guess," her words came out as a tight hiss, "I don't get any say in the matter."

Once more he laughed. "Of course not! What does it matter to you anyway? You're going to get married to me!" It was clear this was supposed to be a great honor for her. Kagome however did not completely agree with Kouga's assessment of the situation.

"Kouga if you do not untie me this instant—"

The door Kouga had entered by swung open again and in stepped an older wolf demon cloaked in a brown burlap mantle. "Ah, she is a pretty one!" He smiled down at Kagome in a grandfatherly manner, tracing her jaw line with a finger tip. Ok, a really creepy grandfather. "A shame she is human, she would make a fine princess. As it is, she'll do as your concubine."

"I'd rather die than be Kouga's concubine or your wife!"

"That's not what you said last night," Kouga purred, leaning down to kiss Kagome. She tried to jerk away, but he followed to capture her lips.

The elder nodded gravely at Kouga, looking him dead in the eye: "Then it is arranged—you will have your wedding this night at which point the girl will be announced as your concubine." Then the older demon bent his head to address Kagome. "It is a shame you will only be his wife and not his mate—to us you'll always be a bit of a whore, but then you should have kept your legs closed." His face cracked into a wide, lecherous grin. "But worry not, your short human life will soon be over so your suffering will not be drawn out." Here he attempted to tuck up Kagome's chin, but she bit hard into his demon flesh, breaking the skin. "She is a bitter Kouga—you'll have to watch out for that. Replace her gag!"

And that was how Kagome found her panties being stuffed back into her mouth and the duct tape re-applied.

With a pat on the head, Kouga left her again, all alone with her thoughts.

At first, Kagome only felt a blind-red rage. Steam shot out of her ears every time she remembered the wolves' words. Slowly her anger turned inward to herself.

Yes, she shouldn't have been sleeping with Kouga. She didn't even really like him all that much. He was just _there_. Her loneliness had gotten the better of her and Kouga had claimed to be single. It was a stupid mistake when there were so many sex shops in her neighborhood. Any number of vibrators would have been more attentive to her needs than Kouga.

_But if I hadn't been with Kouga I wouldn't have been there when Inuyasha found me._

Being tied to a chair and forced to marry a jerk was hardly an equal trade to being reunited with Inuyasha, but it would be nice consolation if he showed up to save her since she was already here.

_Will he come?_

She honestly could not say.

_But I can hope he does since at the moment I can't think of anything else._

All she found herself able to do was wait. And wait.

And hope.


	4. Dog Pile

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or make from this fanfiction. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.**

**A/N: Thanks to all my lovelies! **

ThisIsMeSmiling: I'm glad you found something humorous in last chapter—I really thought it ran flat, but then I've been jacked up on Benadryl for the past few weeks. Yeah, Kouga is out of control—he needs to get his ass kicked in a funny way I think. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Midoriko-sama: Yeah, I know, Kouga shouldn't be able to pull the shit he is. I kind of address that in this chapter, but honestly Kouga's being stupid and committing crimes.

**A/N: Sorry this took so long to get out, but everything has been crazy and the "how" of pulling off this chapter was really tricky for me. I hope you like it and I'll try to get the next one out sooner. Generally speaking, reviews do help me write more and quicker! I am looking for a beta for this story if anyone is interested—someone who is good at grammar, spelling, and making sure I make sense! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed and favorited. I wanted to comment on more reviews, but I am literally walking out the door as I'm posting this!**

**Chapter 4**

Ayame tapped her claws on the arm of her sofa.

She had been in a foul mood since she left Kouga's, and the youkai was coming to the realization that she wasn't angry with Kouga for cheating on her.

No, she was unsettled because he had cheated on her _and_ she wasn't going to be the one who punished him. She had left him in the hands of the elders, and the more she thought about it the more Ayame realized that all they were going to give her former fiancée was a slap on the wrist.

Sure, they would make Kouga sweat, but it would all be idle threats. To them, Kouga might have been doing something dishonorable, but still within the bounds of reasonable male behavior. For all Ayame knew, once he was done being "punished" and Kouga's whore was dead, the elders would demand she accept Kouga again.

No, Ayame did not want Kouga to sweat. She wanted him to bleed. That way she would not have to go through this again.

Picking up her purse, Ayame left her apartment, intent on finding Kouga and giving him what he deserved. And while she was at it, she would get his little bitch too.

XXXXXXXX

_Inuyasha stared out the back window of his father's car, his eyes glued on the house where his family had lived all his young life. It was also where he had spent a lot of time with Kagome. _

_Where they had lost their virginities to one another just a week before._

_Inuyasha fingered the buttons on his cell phone yet again. He had been trying to think of how to tell Kagome he was moving, but noting came to mind. He didn't want to leave her! _

_And more than that, the hanyou did not think he could bear to hear the sound of disappointment in Kagome's voice when he told her he was going to be living across the country. He just didn't want to hurt her like that; he was supposed to protect her. And more than that, what if she didn't care?_

'_But what's going to happen when you're not in school? I think she'll notice.'_

_He brushed off the thought, trying not to think about Kagome's sadness—praying his mind would just block out the image of her tears._

_He could practically smell them._

"_Inuyasha?" His mother's voice came from the front seat. "Are you crying dear?"_

_Inuyasha scrubbed the wetness from his face and the car drove on._

**XXXXXXXXXX**

She must have nodded off again because Kagome found herself waking to the sound of the room's door opening.

_Great. Let me guess. Kouga and a fish sandwich?? All my dreams have at last come true!_

Kagome did not raise her head, but instead waited for her ex to come in a try to choke her with another aquatic sammie delight. Someone stepped alongside her chair, and for an instant Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder. "She's still asleep! Bring it in!" Came a hissed whisper.

Then another person stepped into the room, this one carrying something wrapped in plastic—Kagome could hear it rustling and dragging on the ground.

_What are these damn wolves up to now?_

Kagome debated about opening her eyes to find out was going on, but decided she would wait and see when they left so as not to draw unwanted attention to herself. The less time the demons were in the room, the faster she could go back to her oh-so-comfortable nap.

"It is such a beautiful gown!" A female voice exclaimed and there was the distinct sound of a plastic bag moving around.

_Oh shit._ Kagome groaned inside her head. _Are they talking about my _wedding_ dress?_

She couldn't help but raise her eyes and take in the monstrosity two female demons were admiring.

The dress's most blinding attribute was its pinkness. Day glow, bitch-hot pink. Kagome felt her eyes burn and bile rise in her throat. It had to be the ugliest shade she had seen in a long, long time. Not since her New Kids on the Block back up dancer days. When they had their original hair lines.

Then there was the fact it was covered in a thick layer of lace. Lots and lots of lace, none of which appeared to match. Some was thick and knotted while other pieces were paper thin and wispy—the entire dress was covered by a vomit-bag patchwork of texture. And _somehow_ the look did not work.

But the crowning gem on the atrocity had to be the gigantic birds and butterflies that were attached around the waist and on a shoulder. Their pink lace wings fluttered in the air with ever move the wolf demons made as they cooed over the abomination in their hands.

"Oh good you're awake! Just in time! You can get dressed!" The younger demoness gasped when she saw Kagome was staring at them. The girl was strangely happy, even though she was holding that soul sucking monstrosity. Kagome narrowed her eyes, waiting for the pink fluff to turn on the wolf and consume her whole.

However, she had no such luck.

Instead the wolves turned on her.

Before Kagome could protest, she found herself being cut out of the chair and hauled to her feet. The cursed duct tape was left over her mouth, however. Another young wolf came forward and held her right side while the over-enthusiastic girl stood where she was, latched onto Kagome's left arm. The matronly demoness took one look at Kagome's skirt and shirt and slashed it to ribbons, leaving her in her bra alone.

Thanks to Kouga using her panties as a _gag_, that particular garment was not functioning as it should.

Nevertheless, it was not as though the three women in the room with her were paying much attention. Instead, each of the younger wolves raised Kagome's arms over her head so the third could pull the dress down with her hands going through the sleeves in one quick jerk.

Looking down at herself, Kagome new she was about to be sick. Not that it would show.

Quickly, the three wolves lashed her into the pink monstrosity and straightened out the cloth (as best she could with all the lace) and stood back to take in the sight.

"You look so beautiful!" They all three cried in unison.

"Kouga did such a wonderful job picking it out!"

_That explains a lot._

Kagome ground her fingers into her palm. Even though she was untied, the two wolf twins were locked onto wrists. _If I only had youkai strength…or claws…or fangs. These bitches wouldn't stand a chance._

The dress might have been pink, but all Kagome saw was red. _This_ was hardly how she had imagined her wedding dress to be, not that the wedding was picture perfect either.

The youkai shoved her feet into equally hideous shoes and began to move her toward the doorway.

Somehow, Kagome knew they were moving her to Kouga and that probably meant it was time for the "wedding". Her heart beat rapidly and her thoughts began running in every direction.

_How in the hell did I get myself into this mess?_

_Fucking Kouga, that's right._

Kagome had known before Kouga _kidnapped _her that she didn't love him and that he was on infatuated with her at best.

It was just the way he held her sometimes she could pretend that she was loved; that he wasn't just using her for sex, but that he cared about her. It might have been a lie, but it was something Kagome had thought she needed.

_But you've really fucked things up, haven't you?_

Inuyasha was always a confused spot for her, but if Kouga got his way Kagome knew she might not have a chance to figure out that puzzle.

_Inuyasha…why is it like this?_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Kagome made her way toward Inuyasha's house, carrying a plate covered in foil. Inside the bundle were a dozen or so cookies she had painstakingly decorated with Inuyasha's favorite colors. _

_As she approached the door, she found that someone was already there—it looked like Miroku._

_When he heard her approaching, he turned and she saw that it was in fact their friend. "Hi Miroku! What are you doing here?"_

_Miroku shrugged and to Kagome he looked a little sad: "I was hoping to catch Inuyasha before he left, but I guess he's already gone."_

"_Oh," Kagome was slightly taken aback, but quickly recovered. _Inuyasha didn't say he was going anywhere… _"I'm sure he'll be back soon." She smiled brightly at Miroku, thinking happily about her boyfriend._

_Miroku in turn gave her a confused look, "I doubt it," he scoffed, and now she could clearly see he sounded bitter._

_Now Kagome was feeling a little shaky; something clearly was not right—she sensed it. "Wh-what do you mean?"_

_Miroku turned away from the house to face her fully. "Kagome, you're my friend, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Inuyasha isn't coming back any time soon. He moved away—his whole family packed up and moved across the country."_

_Still defending Inuyasha in her mind and attempting register this new news in her mind, Kagome stuttered out, "But he didn't tell me he was going anywhere. How long has he known that he was leaving?"_

_Miroku's answer was like a slap in the face, "Kagome, I don't know why he didn't tell you, but he's known for months. He probably didn't want to worry you."_

_Kagome couldn't stand it anymore. She let the cookies she had been clutching fall. There was a satisfying crack as the plate shattered._

_XXX_

_Kagome lay in her bedroom, in the dark, her head phones on as she listened to a CD of sad music._

'_This is all because I had sex, isn't it?'_

_She scrunched in on herself as another round of tears passed over her. It just hurt so much. Not only had she lost her friend, but she just felt so—so used, betrayed. Inuyasha had had her trust, and all he did was use her and leave her. How many times had she heard that story before? Kagome had always sworn she wouldn't let men take advantage of her, but now look where she was._

_Crying over that bastard Inuyasha. If he hadn't been just using her, wouldn't he have said goodbye?_

_Well, no more._

_Getting up enough to kneel on her bed, Kagome clutched the shirt fabric over her heart._

_She wouldn't let another guy use her because she would never let anyone else get that close to her. She had loved Inuyasha, but Kagome new in her melodramatic teenage girl heart of hearts that she would never love again!_

_For some reason, she still did not feel all that better with this internal declaration._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha crouched in the bushes outside the wolf elder's compound. He and Sango had arrived there easily, following the point by point driving directions they had taken from Kouga's apartment. However getting there and getting in were two completely separate things.

He had been forced to ditch Sango's car a mile back because there was a fence in the way. Not just a fence but fucking cement wall right out of some feudal compound. Barbed wire, spikes, and motion-sensing guns greeted them from the top of said wall. After time-wasting arguing with Sango, Inuyasha had finally convinced the human wench to drive back into town and notify the police while he did all he could to get Kagome out of there.

Sango finally agreed to go, but only after making him swear that he "wouldn't hurt Kagome in any way shape or form" if he didn't want lose vital _parts_ of his anatomy.

Inuyasha was trying to think of a way to get past all the bloody guards, when a bright red car sped into the courtyard, spraying gravel all over the armed men. The dust had not even settled when a red-headed demoness all but jumped out of the vehicle and stomped toward the house. No one bothered her.

The wolf was raising her hand to the large door knocker when she froze and spun on her heel. She turned, scenting the air until she was looking directly at Inuyasha's hiding place. The hanyou barely had time to think, _Perhaps I should move?_ before the wolf flashed to stand directly before him.

She sucked in another breath, glaring Inuyasha in the eye. "You smell like that whore."

Dumbly, Inuyasha shrugged, hoping the wolf would elaborate.

"You carry her scent all over you—and its fresher than it was on Kouga." Pausing again, she gave Inuyasha about enough time to realize that she was talking about Kagome before she continued, "You aren't here to save her, are you?" Her eyes narrowed darkly, suspiciously.

Knowing he was making a mistake, Inuyasha nodded anyway. The demoness wasn't giving him time to think—not something he excelled at anyway.

"Are you fucking her too?" She continued, then as an afterthought, she added, "Come with me, I'm Ayame," she offered her hand, but when Inuyasha went to shake it, Ayame grabbed him, dragging him back to the massive house—whether he wanted to go or not. "And you are? There's no reason to be rude?"

"I'm Inuyasha—and I'm here to get Kagome from Kouga." The hanyou raised his chin in defiance, daring his captor to say anything about it.

"Are you, Mr. Hero?" Ayame scoffed. She walked them past the battalion of armed guards without breaking a sweat. None of them seemed to notice she was bringing in a hanyou with her. "That's sweet and all, but I have to say, I'm going to have to cut that bitch."

"Why do you want to hurt Kagome?" Inuyasha bristled. He tried to pull away from her, but Ayame only dug her claws into his wrist.

"She's taking my man. But don't worry, she'll look shiny compared to what I'm going to do to Kouga," turning to look at him, Inuyasha shivered at the malicious gleam in her green eyes.

Still, despite the demoness's intentions, Inuyasha wasn't about to let her harm hair on Kagome's head. No matter what Kagome might have done with Kouga, Inuyasha swore to himself that he wouldn't abandon her to an angry demoness. He had to protect her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha had followed Ayame through the maze that was the wolves' lair. She ranted from time to time about how she was going to kill Kagome, but mostly she went into sickening detail concerning what Kouga had coming to him. Evidently he had a few body piercings he would regret.

Especially the one in the tip of his—

Ayame suddenly opened a door and dragged Inuyasha in behind her.

There before them were a few demons wandering about, but in the center of the room stood an elder in a long brown robe and Kouga. Immediately, Inuyasha bristled, eyes flashing red. Kouga noticed the growling directed at him and turned to meet Inuyasha's glare. They stared one another down for a moment.

Everyone in the room paused for a moment, waiting to see what would happened.

Kouga made a jerk forward as though he were about to lash out, but Ayame stopped with a swift fist to his gut.

"Don't even think about it!" She growled.

"What the hell are you doing here—with him?" Kouga demanded, though a little weakly as he was till trying to recover from the hit.

"I've come here for you, dumb ass," she retorted with a roll of her eyes and a slap to the back of his head.

"Lady Ayame," the elder cut in respectfully, even if there was condescending glint to his eye. He stepped over Kouga's prone form to stand before her. "What is the meaning of this? We were agreed that—"

Ayame cut him off. "No, I've changed my mind."

"I understand your are upset, but you must realize—"

"I said I had changed my mind. Now you're going to listen to me."

XXXXXXXXX

Kagome found herself being pushed down a dark hallway, her hands re-bound in front of her so she could hold the wilting pink roses that had been duct taped into her hands. Thorns were digging into her palms, and needless to say, she was not happy about it.

A door at the end of the hall was opened from the other side and Kagome stumbled through. At first she thought she was imagining things, or at the very least her eyes were playing a trick on her.

Why else would Inuyasha be standing there, staring at her?

He looked as disgusted about the dress as she felt. But beneath the revulsion, Kagome could detect a genuine happiness in his eyes as she stumbled into the room. His shoulders relaxed their tense stance ever so slightly, and the tiniest of a smile graced the hanyou's lips.

_He's happy to see me!_

Her happy moment did not last long.

"Ah, my dear, you are here!" The be-robed elder cooed at Kagome as if she were child. "It appears we have a bit of a _hitch_ in getting you _hitched_," the wolf joked, throwing his head back and laughing even though the only other sound in the room were bored crickets chirping.

Kagome raised an eye brow and snorted, allowing herself to be drug over to the podium next to Kouga.

"I wouldn't call it a problem," Kouga scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. "Just kick the mutt and her _highness _out and lets get this show on the road!" He rolled his eyes at a red headed wolf that Kagome recognized as Ayame.

_What the fuck is going on? Why is Ayame here? And Inuyasha—_Kagome could hardly breathe when her mind wondered into pondering the implications of his presence.

"Shut up Kouga," Ayame snapped. She shoved Inuyasha out of her way and took a stomping step toward Kouga. "We're leaving—I'm not going to let you get away with just a slap on the wrist." The wolf princess growled at her would-be mate, hands on her hips.

"Being _married_ to that bitch?" Kouga scoffed, jerking his head toward Kagome. "It ain't no walk in the park Ayame! She's not _that _great in bed!"

"Please! You know you'll be with a trani prostitute within twenty-four hours," Ayame retorted. "No, I want to see that you don't touch another woman until you can respect women enough understand what the female orgasm is, which will be um—oh yeah—never! You'll be my bitch until I see fit."

"So what if I can't please a woman—as long as I'm the one to come that's the way babies are made. Kagome's going to have a lot of my cubs! Aren't you babe?" Kouga nodded at Kagome, adding a wink that made both her and Inuyasha shudder.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Inuyasha and Kagome hissed in unison.

"You know you want a baby Kagome, and you'll have lots of them—I won't be able to claim any of them as my own because we aren't mated, but at least the cubs can keep you company."

"That's it!" Kagome yelled. Reaching up, she jerked away the bird on her shoulder and chucked it at Kouga's head. The wolf staggered back for a moment and growled, rubbing the knot about his right eye where her hit struck him.

"Bitch!" Kouga blinked once at Kagome before he lunged at her. She managed to get just out of his way, but tragically the wolf youkai caught her skirts at her thighs, slicing it down to the ground.

"Babe! Your dress! Look what you did!" Kouga croaked, holding his claws up to his face to look at the bits of ugly pink fabric sticking to the nails, seeming more broken up that he had ruined the dress than the fact he had taken a swipe at his would-be bride.

Inuyasha felt his blood raise, his heart pounding up into his throat. _No one goes after Kagome like that!_ A surge of protectiveness swelled to fill his gut as he glanced at Kagome, clearly shocked by Kouga's assault. Obviously, the wolf had never betrayed her in this way. _Just using her for her body—but never physical harm._

Regardless, Kouga might be desperate, but that was no reason to go after Kagome with violence. Or at all.

Inuyasha growled, a rumbling deep in his throat. Kouga looked over his shoulder at the clearly-pissed hanyou then something snapped and it was a more or less a rumble, the four of them for themselves.

Which of course meant all against Kouga, who was being a royal pain in the ass.

The elder and the others in the room stepped back and watching the scene in front of them before going back to their own quiet conversations.

Somehow Kagome leaped and landed in the wolf's back, ripping part of her torn dress to wind it around his neck in an attempt to choke him.

Ayame beat Inuyasha to his punch by tackling Kouga around the waist, taking Kagome down to the ground as well. Pinned underneath the two wolves, Kagome only tightened her grip on the cloth, still choking Kouga. Even if her internal organs were being crushed and she was seeing stars, she refused to let go of the good grip she had on him.

Inuyasha attempted to grab Ayame in an effort to pull the two demons off Kagome. Instead the wolf youkai swung her elbow back and up, connecting with Inuyasha's Adam's apple. He lost balanced and fell on top of the pile, further smushing Kagome into the ground.

Kouga, in the meantime, was giving a stab at breathing and only succeeded at reacting, being the horn dog he was, very well to the fact he was sandwiched between two women.

_Ahh…Ayame's tits on my chest, Kagome's against my back—I don't care if she's choking me. We may have to do this again. Three way here we come!_

Licking his lips, Kouga couldn't decide which woman he liked more. He hungered for his former fiancée who was just above him, wiggling around.

Reflexively, the wolf demon's lips moved up and—because his eyes were closed—he did not see exactly where they were going…

The wolf youkai was trying to maneuver her way out from underneath Inuyasha. As she struggled, Ayame saw Kouga's face was moving, mouth puckered, toward her and in a nauseating need to get away from him, she managed to throw herself out of the pile. She rolled a short distance away and lay there, trying to regroup after what had just happened.

With Ayame no longer acting as a shield between the two men this left only one possible scenario.

Inuyasha and Kouga locked lips.

The hanyou was the first to realize the mistake, but Kouga—eyes having fluttered closed long before—seemed to think he was still holding his former betrothed and moved one arm up to tangle his fingers in Inuyasha's locks and the other to grope his chest where a female breast should have been.

Kagome, air long crushed out of her lungs, was staring at disbelief over Kouga's shoulder into Inuyasha's eye as he panicked, and began to flail around. Pushing up off the ground, he finally managed to roll himself and Kouga off Kagome's body, giving the girl a chance to gasp for breath.

She sat up, coughing and gasping, glad her internal organs were no longer flattened. Kagome knew she needed to help Inuyasha from being assaulted by Kouga, but first she had to stop seeing stars and dancing pink ponies before her eyes.

Kouga however, was not letting go of Inuyasha anytime soon: his hands were latched onto the back of the hanyou's head, obviously believing that Inuyasha's silky strands were those of Ayame, even if they lacked her curl.

Regaining her breath, Kagome was finally able to make a swipe at Kouga's head, yanking his hair back and away from the struggling Inuyasha so their lips could break contact. Odd how the wolf didn't seem to notice that his "woman" was resisting his embrace.

Kouga finally opened his eyes and blinked when he met Inuyasha's golden, glaring orbs only a few inches from his own. His confusion only lasted for a moment, and when his anger came in the next second, Kouga reared back and punched Inuyasha squarely in the eye.

"Fucker!" The half demon howled, pulling his head back so he could butt Kouga in the face. There was a sickening snap as Kouga's nose broke. Surprise dawned in the demon's eyes as he recognized pain, and tiny tears pitted in his eyes.

It appeared at first that Kouga was going to strike at Inuyasha again, but all the wolf did was stare blankly at the air before him. Blood was slipping out of his nostril, a few splats falling on Inuyasha's face.

Suddenly, Kouga sniffled, and the demon burst into tears. Rolling off Inuyasha he curled into a fetal ball, wailing bloody murder all the while.

Ayame and Kagome exchanged a glanced. Both women's thoughts followed the same direction: _How could I have slept with such a pussy?!_

Inuyasha quickly brushed the blood droplets off his face, hurrying to his feet so he could get away from the sobbing Kouga.

As if lead by a beacon, he found himself before Kagome, and not waiting another moment, he reached down and wrapped his arms around her. He had never been so relieved before in his life. All the worry he had pushed down to his gut relaxed as he held Kagome in his arms.

Kagome herself sagged into Inuyasha's embrace, so happy to have him near her again.

_He came for me._

_Maybe things won't be so bad after all…_

Just as everything seemed all right and that they would be okay, Inuyasha was suddenly pulled away from Kagome. Eyes flying open, Kagome saw that Ayame was holding Inuyasha around the neck, her claws digging into the skin around his throat.

"Let him go!" Kagome cried, taking a step toward them.

"Come any closer and he'll be decapitated—we both know a hanyou can't survive that."

Kagome nodded, more in agreement than anything else: "What do you want? I'll do anything if you just release him."

"Kagome—" Inuyasha tried to interject, but Ayame only dug her claws in further.

"You took Kouga from me, even if he is a worthless sack of shit, so I'm going to hurt the man you love. That would be worse than anything I could do to you."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat. She met Inuyasha in the eye.

This could not be happening.


End file.
